Stabilizing device for aeroplanes



June 5, 1928.

F. SIKORSKI STABILIZING DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Filed July 15, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet June 5, 1928.

1,672,785 F. SIKORSKI STABILIZING DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Filed July 13,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STABILIZING DEVICE FOR .AEBDPLANES.

Application filed July 13,

The present invention relates to a stabilizing device for use. inconnection with aeroplanes and the like, and aims to provide a novel andimproved device of this character which can be conveniently arranged forethciently righting or stabilizing an aeroplane should the same becomebeyond control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as abovementioned having a telescopic member provided with a heavy weight on itslower end which may be spaced rigidly below the fuselage of an aeroplanefor balancing the same or may be drawn upwardly in close proximity tothe fuselage when not in use so as not to interfere with proper landingof the aeroplane.

A further object of the invention is the provision of. a. tubulartelescopic member having air-tight connection so that air under pressuremay be released into'said tubular telescopic member for forcing theweight to extended position, and an air controlled means for. drawingthe sections of the tele scopie member andweight upwardly when not inuse.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a weighted leverfor controlling the position of the weight carried. by the telescopicmember so that when the aeroplane is in an improper flying position, theweighted lever can be manually operated or will antomatically swing toextend the stabilizing weight.

It is also an object. of the invention to provide a device of the aboveindicated character, which is relatively simple, substantial inconstruction, which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost,andwhich will be thoroughly efficient and practical in parting from thespirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of an aero- 1926. Serial No. 122,126.

plane, showing my improved stabilizing device arranged thereon,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of thestabilizing device,

Figure dis a longitudinal section through the telescopic stabilizingdevice showing the same in raised position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal idly in the fuselage 10 and hasits upper end closed by means of a closure cap 12 which is secured tothe upper wing 13 of the aeroplane. The lower end of the tubular member11 protrudes slightly below the fuselage, as at 14.

The above mentioned tubular member 11 comprises the upper of a series oftubular members which are slidably arranged in each other so as toprovide a telescopic supporting structure. As amatter of illustration,four tubular members are shown and designatedby the numerals 11, 15, 16,and 17. The tubular members are of different sizes, the smallest beingat the bottom and the largest at the top when the supporting structureis in extended position. At the lower ends of the tubular members 11,15, 16, and 17 are provided inwardly extending annular flanges, asindicated by the numeral 18 which are adapted to engage with outwardlyextending annular flanges 19 ar ranged upon the upper ends of thesections 15, 16, 17, and a rod 20 which is slidably arranged in thelowermost tubular member 17. In each of the flanges is arranged anannular groove for receiving a ring so as to form air-tight connectionbetween the various tubular members and the rod 20.

On the lower end of the rod 20 is provided a weight 21 which isconstructed of a shape so as to eliminate as much resistance as possiblewhile the aeroplane is in motion. By referring to Figure 1 of thedrawings, which shows the tubular members and rod 20 in extendedposition it can be seen that the weight 21 is positioned so as tostabilize or properly balance the aeroplane, Arranged on opposite sidesat the lower ends of each tubular member 11, 15, 16, and 17, are'eyes 22through which extend a pair of cables or the like 23, the cables beingarranged upon opposite sides of the tubular members and having theirlower ends attached to eyes 24 carried by the weight 21. The cables 23after passing through the eyes 22 arranged upon the lower end of theuppermost tubular member 11 are arranged about pulleys 25 and have theiropposite ends secured to a pair of winding drums 26 rotatablymounted bydepending brackets 27 'secured to the lower surface of the fuselage 10.

Mounted on the shaft which rotatably mounts the drum 26 and between thepair of drums 26 is an intermediate drum 28 of smaller size.

1s also arranged about a pair of pulleys or the aeroplane arranged abovethe intermediate drum 28 and between the pulleys 30 is a cylinder 31having a piston 32 arranged therein which in turn has a connecting rod33 attached thereto which extends rearwardly and out of the cylinderthrough a packing box 34. Attached to the rear end of the rod 33 is aclamping element 35 which is also attached to the endless cable 29. Fromthe foregoing, it can be seen that when the piston is moved within thecylinder that the endless cable will be either pulled forwardly orrcarwardly, thus causlng turning movement of the intermediate drum 28which in turn will cause the winding drums 26 to turn thus drawing in onthe cables 23 or unwinding the cables 23 from said winding drums.

Positioned in the fuselage 10 of the aeroplane is a pair of compressedair tanks and 37. The tank 36 is in communication with the cylinder 31by means of piping 38. The tank 36 communicates with the cylinder 32 atthe end thereof opposite to that through which the rod 31 extends. Thetank 37 is in communication with the upper end of the tubular member 11by means of piping 39. In the piping which leads from each of the tanks36 and 37 to the cylinder 31 and the tubular member 11 is a valve 40.The valves 40 are each provided with small crank levers 41 thereon whichare connected to a rod 42 which has its forward end connected to a lever43 pivotally mounted The intermediate drum 28 has wound thereabout anendless cable 29 which in the fuselage 10 of the aeroplane. On the lowerend of the lever 43 is a weight 44 for normally holding the lever 43 inupri ht position with the passageways in the valves 40 out of alignmentwith the piping. Each of the valves 40 has an outlet opening 45 thereinso as to permit the escape of air from the cylinder 32 and the tubulartelescopic member at the proper time so as to relieve pocketing of airin said cylinder and tubular telescopic member. The valves 40 are soconstructed and connected together that when one valve is opened so asto permit air to pass from one tank to either the cylinder or thetubular telescopic member, the outlet openings will be in proper alignment so as to permit the escape of air from the other of said elementsso that when the tubular telescopic member is extended, the piston 32will be permitted to return to the air inlet end of the cylinder andwhen the piston is forced to the opposite end of the cylinder, the airin the tubular telescopic member will be permitted to escape so thatsaid telescopic member can be raised to position the weight 21 in closeproximity to the fuselage.

In operation, when the aeroplane is in flight and the aeroplane shouldstart slipping or tilting about a horizontal axis or turning turtle, thelever 33 may be easily pulled forwardly so as to align the openings inthe valves 40 arranged in the piping from the air compressing tank 37to. the tubular telescopic member so as to force said tubular telescopicmember in extended position and arrange the weight 21 in ,a rigid mannerspaced a sufiicient distance below the aeroplane to cause the rightingof the plane. \Vhen the valve 40 is opened so as to permit the extendingof the telescopic tubular mem her, the other valve 40 which is in thepip ing that communicates the tank 36 with the cylinder 31 is moved soas to permit. the air pocketed in the cylinder to escape from the valve,thus permitting the piston 32 to move a to the proper end of thecylinder 31. After the aeroplane has been righted and the equillbrium ismaintained, the weight 21 may be drawn upwardl to a position close tothe lower portion of the fuselage 10 by swinging the lever 43 in theopposite direction. By such movement of the lever, air will be permittedto enter the cylinder 31, thus forcing the piston 32 to the opposite endthereof which in turn will cause the endless cable 29 to be pulled so asto turn the intermediate drum 28, such turning movement of theintermediate drum causing the winding drums to be turned which will windthe cables 23 up and on the same, thus drawing the telescopic membersupwardlv and into each other, as shown in F igure 3 of the drawings.When the weight is in a drawn up or upper position, the structure foropwas the same and the weight itself will not interfere aeroplane. i

Thedevice mayalso be used in connection with determining the distance tothe ground at night timewhen it is desired toma'ke a landing. Byextending the weight to lts lower posit-ion, theaviator may graduallypermit his machine to come nearer to the ground until the weight 21comes in contact with the ground. At such time, he may easily draw theweight upwardly and knowing the distance the aeroplane is from theground, he may make a proper landing.

By providing the weight 44 on the end of the lever 43, said weight willcause the lever to swing should the aeroplane be tilted at an anglewhere the flying thereof has become dangerous, thus causing operationwith proper landing ef the of the valves 40 so as to automaticallyextend the weight for righting the plane or obtaining the equilibriumthereof.

Having thus describedmy inventiomwhat I claim as new is:

1. A stabilizing device for aeroplanes comprising a tubular telescopicmember carried by the aeroplane, air-tight connection between thesections of said tubular telescopic member, a weight arranged upon thelowermost section of said telescopic member,

means for forcing air under pressure to said tubular telescopic memberso as to extend the same to position the weight spaced from theaeroplane, and means for drawing said telescopic member inwardly so thatsaid weight lies in close proximity to the aeroplane.

2. A stabilizing device for aeroplanes comprising a tubular telescopicmember carried by the aeroplane, air-tight connection between thesections of said tubular telescopic member, a weight arranged upon thelowermost section of said telescopic member, means for forcing air underpressure to said tubular telescopic member so as to extend the same toposition the weight spaced from the aeroplane, cables attached to saidweight and extending along said telescopic member, and means attached tosaidcables for drawing in thereon so as to telescope said telescopicmember to position the weight in 'close proximity to the aerolane.

3. A stabilizing device for aeroplanes comprising a tubular telescopicmember carried by the aeroplane, aweight arranged upon the lowermostsection of said telescopic member, means for supplying air underpressure to the uppermost section of said telescopic member in order toforce the other sections downwardly to extend the weight spaced from theaeroplane, a cylinder carried by the aeroplane, a piston slidablyarranged in said cylinder, cables attached to said weight and extendingalong said telescopic member, me ans attaclied to said piston fordrawing in said cables, and means-tor supplyingoompressed airto saidcylinder for sliding said piston therein.

f4. A stabilizing device for aeroplanes comprising a tubular telescopicmember carried by the aeroplane, a weight arrangedupon spaced from theaeroplane, a cylinder carried by the aeroplane, a piston slidablyarranged in said cylinder, cables attached to said Weight and extendingalong said telescopic member, means attached to said piston for drawingin said cables, means for sup plying compressed air to said cylinder forsliding said piston therein, a pair of valves arranged for controllingthe How of air to said tubular telescopic member and to said cylinder,and means connected to said valves for opening one valve upon closing ofthe other so as to extend said telescopic member from the aeroplane ordraw the same" upwardly so that the weight will lie in close proximityto the aeroplane.

5. A stabilizing device for aeroplanes comrising a tubular telescopicmember carried y the aeroplane, a Weight arranged upon the lowermostsection of said telescopic member, means for supplying air underpressure to the uppermost section of said telescopic member in order toforce the other sections downwardly to extend the weight spaced from theaeroplane, a cylinder carried by the aeroplane, a piston slidablyarranged in said cylinder, cables attached to said weight and extendingalong said telescopic'member, means attached to said piston for drawingin said cables, means for sup-. plying compressed air to said cylinderfor sliding said piston therein, a pair of valves arranged forcontrolling the fiow of air to said tubular telescopic memberand to saidcylinder, a pivotally mounted weighted lever adapted to normally remainin upright position, and links connected to said lever and to saidvalves so as to close one valve upon opening of theother to permit theextending of the telescopic member from the aeroplane or to draw thesame up so that the weight lies in close proximity to the aeroplane.

6. A stabilizing device for aeroplanes comprising a telescopic membercarried by the aeroplane, a weight arranged upon the lower section ofsaid telescopic member, meansfor extending said telescopic member sothat the weight isspaced below and from the upon the same shaft saidwinding drums are to said piston and to said endless cable for mountedon and secured thereto, pulleys causing said endless cable to be movedupon 10 spaced from said second 1 mentioned drum movement of the pistonin the cylinder, and and at each side thereof, an endless cable meansfor supplying air to'said cylinder for extended over said pulleys andtrained sliding the piston therein. a around said second mentioned drum,a c lin- In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my der carried by theaeroplane, a piston signature. 7 v mounted in said cylinder, meansattached FRANK SIKORSKI.

